Montana (0-1) would lead by as many as 12 late in the first quarter but Seattle University women’s basketball (1-1) took the lead with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter and would power to a 58-44 win on the home floor of the Big Sky powerhouse.

“This was a very good win for us,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “We played team basketball, this was a win by committee, and our defense was much improved. We did a much better job on the boards and out-rebounded them by 11 in a tough environment. I’m very proud of our team and our big thing is just continuing to get better every day.”

The Redhawks took a 5-2 lead three minutes into the contest before Montana’s Alycia Sims and McCalle Feller hit two jumpers to give the Grizzlies the lead, 6-5, hallway through the first quarter. SU free throws would bring SU back within four two different times before the end of the period.

A pair of three-pointers from Feller would give Montana an 11-point lead, 22-11, with 8:34 remaining in the first half of play and they would build their largest lead of the half, 12, two different times midway through the second quarter.

Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.), Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas), and Shaylin Heredia (Tolleson, Ariz.) hit a trio of jumpers over a three-minute span to bring the Redhawk deficit to eight before Delanie Parry (Beaverton, Ore.) hit a three with 1:55 left in the half. Another Allen jumper at the 1:16 mark brought Seattle U within three, 28-25, at the half.

Cydnee Ceballos (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Texas) hit jumpers over the first four minutes of the contest as Seattle U would take the lead, 29-28, for good at the 6:18 mark of the third quarter. The Redhawks would lead by as many as eight, 38-30, at the 2:40 mark of the third period following back-to-back jumpers from Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) and Parry.

Seattle U built their lead to double digits, 46-36, with 6:29 remaining in the contest on a Ceballos jumper and maintained the double digit lead, earning a 14-point victory.

Seattle U was 21-for-56 in field-goal percentage as well as 12-for-18 from the free-throw line. The Redhawks outrebounded Montana, 50-39, and narrowly led in steals, 7-6.

Best (13 points) and Ross (11 points) led the team, each scoring in double figures while Parry grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. The Grizzlies were led in scoring by Feller (15 points) and in rebounding by Sims (13 boards).

The Redhawks face Washington in the annual crosstown rivalry on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Arena before hosting Evergreen State at Bellevue College on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

Stay tuned to GoSeattleU.com as well as Facebook (Seattle U Athletics; Seattle University Women’s Basketball), Twitter (@su_athletics; @su_wbb), and Instagram (su_redhawks; su_wbb) for all the latest updates on the team throughout the 2015-16 campaign.